Broken Heater Union Banjo Bolts

[AFQC]

Two weeks ago my 87 7MGE blew its head gasket and I’ve been taking my time to do things right. This morning I was going to pull the heater union to check its condition and replace the crush washers before dropping the head onto the block.

For future reference for others the book says you will need a 6pt 32mm deepwell socket but a 1 ¼” socket is the same size.

I gave it a good shot of PB Blaster before I finished up work the night before having read that these are pretty notorious for being seized. It wouldn’t budge with my 18” breaker bar so I put daddy’s little helper (cheater pipe) on and it gave a little so I pushed again and was rewarded with a crack as it let loose but alas the banjo bolt broke.

I went out and bought some chisels and punches along with a torch to try the old tricks but so far it hasn’t budged and I’m at the point where if I keep trying to punch/chisel it I WILL fuck up the head.

I worry that easy outs will wedge in and crack the head. The only thing I can think of right now is to weld a high strength bolt into the bore of the banjo bolt to try to break it out that way.

The question at hand is what methods have you used to extract these broken heater union bolts?

 

[IJ.]

 

[suprajztwenty]

that one may work, but this is the style i like to use...

whatever you do, dont use these...unless its something new(ish) i wouldnt even waste my time with one of these worm style, ive broken way too many and you cant get them out.

 

[IJ.]

The Proto tool DOESN'T wedge in and expand the steel and crack the head....
(should realise by now I usually have a reason behind what I post )

 

[Poodles]

IJ is right, that's EXACTLY the tool the machine shop used on mine. The heater union bango ALWAYS breaks.

 

[IJ.]

Я лежал бы к вам?

 

[AFQC]

Я лежал бы к вам?

The thought of it never crossed my mind.:icon_smil

 

[AFQC]

Brought my head into the shop at work and first tried to use one of those Snap On extraction tools and couldn't get it to grip.

One of my mechanics had a tool very similar to what IJ posted and tapped it in with a small hammer. It wouldn't budge with a breaker bar but a little persuasion with an impact wrench did the trick. The threads in the head took a little abuse but they are still useable. Thanks for the great advice!

 

[IJ.]

Brought my head into the shop at work and first tried to use one of those Snap On extraction tools and couldn't get it to grip.

One of my mechanics had a tool very similar to what IJ posted and tapped it in with a small hammer. It wouldn't budge with a breaker bar but a little persuasion with an impact wrench did the trick. The threads in the head took a little abuse but they are still useable. Thanks for the great advice!

Very welcome, glad it worked out for you, I use some Nickle antiseize when I reassemble.
(the very first time I pulled a 7M was for this exact same issue... many years ago)

 

[suprajztwenty]

<<<<defeated yet again, lol.
ive seen that tool before but never knew it had quite that much bite, ij never fails to amaze.

i just use whats in my toolbox and they havnt failed me yet...though i usually use them on bolts, i like the fact that theyre short and have the hex head. so if youre NOT trying to remove a banjo fitting...

ill check out the type that ij suggested, maybe theyll make me even handier at work.

 

[IJ.]

Helical extractors tend to expand the broken part as they bite in, the square ones don't and don't seem to be as fragile

Found the big one when I broke my Banjo then found a small set and now use them instead of the Helicals!
(never too old to learn new things and part of why I hang online as there's always something "new")

Worst case scenario is you break an extractor off, with a Helical you're in the shit, Square ones punch out fairly easily.

 

[destrux]

I usually have better luck with steel bolts seized in aluminum if I use a big round punch and hit the top of it a few times, give them a good shock. You have to do it right when you realize it's going to take more than normal force to take it out. It doesn't always work, it largely depends on how hard you can hit it without causing damage. Also works on bolts that come halfway out and start to pull threads.

 

[te72]

&#1071; &#1083;&#1077;&#1078;&#1072;&#1083; &#1073;&#1099; &#1082; &#1074;&#1072;&#1084;?

IJ, I'm used to hearing odd things come out of your rambling mouth, but you got me with this one...

As for the banjo fitting, I almost found myself in a similar position with my 2nd 7M. Stupid PO must have ran tap water for 20 years in that thing...

 

[IJ.]

AFQC seems to have gotten it

 

[GrimJack]

&#1071; &#1083;&#1077;&#1078;&#1072;&#1083; &#1073;&#1099; &#1082; &#1074;&#1072;&#1084;?

Only if there was a girl involved...

 

[suprajztwenty]

Helical extractors tend to expand the broken part as they bite in, the square ones don't and don't seem to be as fragile

Found the big one when I broke my Banjo then found a small set and now use them instead of the Helicals!
(never too old to learn new things and part of why I hang online as there's always something "new")

Worst case scenario is you break an extractor off, with a Helical you're in the shit, Square ones punch out fairly easily.

very good point...never thought about which tool i would rather have break (theyre all going to at some point) not that id like either to break...but IF it did, youre absolutely right.

since this is turning into a "remove broken/stuck hardware trick"...
stuck hardware
blue wrench (torch) and/or candle wax (works a lot like penetrating lube but somehow better) everyone thinks im weird for having b-day candles in my box.
shock n awe...swift pop with a hammer to the bolt head or the thread area if possible without doing damage, while you have tension on the bolt pops loose every time.

stripped/broken hardware
stud extractor, great if you have any part of the bolt hanging off the surface...wedges into the threads and works 90% of the time, no matter how seized.

bolt extractor for stripped heads

plenty more to mention but ill let the real guru's fill in the gaps.

 

[IJ.]

I tend NOT to break stuff all that often so am not in any way a "Guru" I do like some of the tools you've posted and can see where they'd be very useful!

 

[destrux]

oooh... don't forget the left hand drill bits!

Those work great on sheared exhaust studs, or bolts that some dolt broke from over-tightening. Half the time the drill bit grabs it and spins it right out without even needing to get the extractors.

 

[becauseican]

Anyone have the part number for the "bolt", and Banjo pipe ?...I need one. I ran into this problem a few weeks ago. I just took a large drill to thin out the wall of the "bolt" then a hammer and puch to collapse it and eventually spin it out.

 

[GrimJack]

Sure...

'Bolt': 90401-22004, $4.63
Washers: 90430-22008, $1.18
Banjo pipe: 90405-17005, $7.93